The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (Safcec) on Monday signed a two-year wage agreement, ending prolonged strike action in the construction industry that halted major construction projects.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has yet again scored a major victory in the construction sector, persuading employers through a three week long hard-hitting strike action to accede to further increases. The construction companies had earlier entered into a wage agreement with the Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union (BCAWU) for an increase of between 8 and 10% which the NUM rejected.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) notes the messages sent through smses by companies affiliated to the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) calling on workers to return to work tomorrow on the basis that an agreement has been reached.

Globally capitalism has been in crisis from as early as the mid-1970s. The reality is that while minorities of authoritative individuals who own the means of production and in managing these crises have efficaciously transformed their liability into an albatross of the working class.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) representing over 80 000 miners in the gold sector will tonight begin with its scheduled strike action. The NUM is determined to pursue its demands for an increase of R2300 for surface and opencast miners and R3000 for underground miners.